Not overly concerned about the lackluster loss to Ukraine yesterday with players cobbled together from European teams and the lack of cohesiveness that caused.

Am concerned that Altidore and Dempsey look slow and disinterested.

But if they get a win vs. Ghana in first match they can get out of the group.

Did see, to my horror, that Stuart Holden went down in 23rd minute of his first game back since the umpteenth surgery on his knee.

Feel for that kid. Now 28, knees ain't meant for that kind of abuse and he reminds me of Grady Sizemore. Might be the most talented American-eligible player in the world and he's certainly the unluckiest.

True litmus test will be 4/2 against Mexico. The best team should be assembled, let's see how they play and will try to reserve judgement until then.

However, there has to be a little concern. Haven't seen the defense play this poorly since Belgium. Without Timmy, it would have been much worse, 2-0 makes it sound better than it was. Dempsey has looked disinterested since he moved to MLS. He's never been Mr. Smiley, but his body language is just poor and so has been his performance. The guys on XM were shredding their performance but then said wait until after Mexico.

Like I said in the draw thread, they HAVE to beat Ghana, and probably by two goals. If they draw or lose, it's over for all intents and purposes. Hope and pray for a draw against Portugal- which is much more than a one man team. Hope they meet a German team that already has 6 points, advanced and has nothing to gain- get the draw and 5 points with a +2 GD. A lot of ifs.

With the preliminary 30 being announced and cut downs to 23 by June 2nd, anyone overly surprised with Eddie Johnson being left off and Julian Green included? Wonder if that wasn't decided with Green's addition from the Germans a couple months back as part of the agreement to get him here.

Also hoping Wondo sticks. Guy just shows up in big times.

Also, ESPN doing some good work with their E:60 series last night that featured Pele, Messi and Clint Dempsey stories.

Give you an indication of why Dempsey is how he is out there. Went through a lot as a kid.

AKRON, Ohio – Former University of Akron men's soccer player DeAndre Yedlin has been named to the USA's 23-player roster for the 2014 FIFA World Cup this summer in Brazil, U.S. Soccer announced Thursday.

Yedlin, who was named to the Major League Soccer All-Star team as a rookie for the Seattle Sounders last season, is the first former Zips player to make a U.S. World Cup roster.

"It's an exciting moment when you have narrowed the roster down as a coaching staff, and these 23 players that you've chosen can focus now purely on Brazil," U.S. Soccer head coach Jurgen Klinsmann said in a press release. "We can go into more specific things about technical approaches, and about the opponents. For the players, it's very important to know that they are now part of it and they can relax and know they are on the list going to Brazil and taking it from there. After almost 10 days of work right now, we thought the point has come to make the decision."

Yedlin was a two-time All-Mid-American Conference First Team honoree with the Zips from 2011-12. In all, the right back appeared in 45 games – including 41 starts – and finished with 12 assists. Akron went 33-5-7 overall and 13-0-0 in league play during Yedlin's time wearing the Blue and Gold, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament each season.

Yedlin signed a Homegrown Contract with the Seattle Souders of Major League Soccer in 2013 following his sophomore year.

Goal USA ‏@GoalUSA 8mLandon Donovan has been left OFF the #USMNT's 23-man roster for the World Cup. Brooks, Chandler, Davis, Green, Wondolowski, Yedlin are in.Expand Reply Retweet Favorite More

Not surprised by this at all. There has been a disconnect between Donovan and Klinsman since Klinsman took over. He more or less sealed his fate when he took his sabbatical last year. That being said, he still has the talent to be a late sub off the bench when they desperately need a goal.

Goal USA ‏@GoalUSA 8mLandon Donovan has been left OFF the #USMNT's 23-man roster for the World Cup. Brooks, Chandler, Davis, Green, Wondolowski, Yedlin are in.Expand Reply Retweet Favorite More

Not surprised by this at all. There has been a disconnect between Donovan and Klinsman since Klinsman took over. He more or less sealed his fate when he took his sabbatical last year. That being said, he still has the talent to be a late sub off the bench when they desperately need a goal.

That's why it's "wow". Klonsmann has literally and figuratively called Donovan a sacred cow and took a guy like Wondolowski over LD. Surprised Evans was left off over Yedlin too.

Klinsmann has put himself out there. He's done if they flame. He went youth and speed over experience. He better be right or it's his job that it costs him.

Never personally been a huge LD fan. He's been goody since he was a kid. But he can play. And he can still play. And there will be a time in the group stage where you'll be thinking, "Shit- it'd be great to have Donovan her right now".

2 games, two wins but not all impressive. Defense continues to be suspect- Germany and Portugal would have capitalized many of those lapses in the defense in the past two games. I have seen nothing that I haven't thought already- defense needs to come together and get solid or we truly have no hope; Bradley continues to be the US's most complete player and someone needs to step-up in the front- Altidore needs to find it: confidence looks low and needs to take some of the pressure off of Dempsey, who can be injury prone.

That semi reminded me of the film 'Space Jam'. It was like the Brail players abilities to play the game had been stolen from them by some evil extra-terrestrial overlord. A bunch of spastic Charles Barkleys running around the field like headless chickens

"There is but one thing of real value: to cultivate truth and justice and to live without anger in the midst of lying and unjust men"